“Ojo Taylor Returns”: Interview #2 in Down The Line

One of the most widely-read posts on my little site is the first interview I did for Down The Line magazine in 2010 where I publicly discussed not being able to accept the tenets of any version of Christianity any longer.  In 2017 I was approached by Doug Peterson to do a follow-up interview, published in July, 2017.  Here is that interview. 

The Bitter Truth Podcast

I had this really fun discussion with longtime friend and musical troublemaker Abe Abdelhadi, wherein we liken leaving religion to death by a thousand paper cuts while increasing compassion for those we strongly disagree with.  We also consider the critically important ways to sprinkle correctly pigeon blood while asking, “This is the book we get?!” 

My Last Interview Before Coming Out

MySpace was still a thing in July, 2009 when I received a request for an online interview.  I was in a very strange and transitional place.  My Christian house of cards had suddenly fallen and I had just realized that I could no longer consider myself a believer in any meaningful sense although I still had questions; lots of questions. I had told nobody about my current thinking. 

My Mailbag: Come Away With Me

In which I am alleged to have pissed all over someone’s life-sustaining memories. 

My Mailbag: Am I an Evangelist?

I get questions quite often wondering in some sense or another if I have traded in one religion for another, if dismissal of unfounded beliefs is not itself a type of religion.

My Mailbag: Christianity and the Recent News Cycle

There has been an awful lot written lately about American Evangelicalism and the current political landscape. Not only is America deeply divided, but that divide cuts deeply through American Christianity as well.

When A Christian Punk Rocker Leaves Christianity with Ojo Taylor

A few weeks ago I had an interesting conversation with Steve Hackman for his podcast series, Beyond the Pale.  Steve identifies as a Christian, although certainly not your garden variety Evangelical, with open, inclusive, thoughtful questions.

Why, No! No, It Doesn’t At All!

Dear Dayton Church of the Brethren,

Hello, I am your neighbor. I live not far from your church, which sits on the main road in to our small town. I drive by your building multiple times a day. I see your billboards (both of them; one in front of the church, and this one which sits behind the church along the main highway that borders our town). 

The Opposite of Faith Is…

This meme posted by the United Church of Christ, based on a quote by Elie Wiesel (US News & World Report, October 27, 1986) has shown up in a few news feed posts of late. The complete quote:

Revised YMCA Mission Statement

I love the YMCA. I love supporting them and their commitments to fitness, healthy living and social responsibility.They do great work. I used to enroll my kids in many of their programs. It is a Christian organization and yet it is inclusive with regard to sexual orientation and also actively cultivates diversity. I travel often and I almost always grab a temporary membership wherever I go so I don’t have to interrupt my workout routine. I am working out at the Y just outside of Portland, Oregon this week and they have little posters all around the place that put forth their vision and mission statements.